Dofollow directories that don't require a backlink badge
Listed when the outbound link was verified dofollow and the directory does not ask for a reciprocal badge or backlink on your site in return.
In short
31 of the 108 startup directories we track gave a verified dofollow link and ask for no reciprocal badge or backlink in return. 11 of them are free to submit to, 18 have a free tier and 2 are paid only. Every result comes from reading the outbound link on a live listing page. Most recent check: September 16, 2026.
- Directories on this list
- 31
- Verified dofollow
- 31
- Free to submit
- 11
- Require a backlink badge
- 0
- Most recent check
- September 16, 2026
- Whole index
- 108
The list
Price, link type, badge requirement and the date we last read each link.
| Directory | Price | Link type | Badge required | Last checked | Submit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AICyclopediaaicyclopedia.comAI tool directory with news and a free submission form. | Free | Dofollow | No | Sep 1, 2026 | Submit |
| AIToolMallaitoolmall.comAI tool catalogue with short editorial write-ups per category. | Free | Dofollow | No | Sep 1, 2026 | Submit |
| AITopToolsaitoptools.comHigh-volume AI tool directory, updated daily. | Free tier | Dofollow | No | Sep 1, 2026 | Submit |
| AIxploriaaixploria.comManually verified AI directory, updated daily, open to free submissions. | Free tier | Dofollow | No | Sep 1, 2026 | Submit |
| Awesome Indieawesomeindie.comDaily board for indie products, free tier plus cheap paid placements. | Free tier | Dofollow | No | Sep 1, 2026 | Submit |
| BetaListbetalist.comCurated pre-launch startup feed for early adopters, paid submission only. | Paid | Dofollow | No | Sep 1, 2026 | Submit |
| Brick Launchbricklaun.chLay a brick — a small directory of dofollow-backlink tools for builders. | Free | Dofollow | No | Sep 16, 2026 | Submit |
| Dang.aidang.aiAI tools directory running since 2022, with verified and featured listings. | Free tier | Dofollow | No | Sep 1, 2026 | Submit |
| EasyDoFolloweasydofollow.dev"List your site, get a real dofollow backlink — no nonsense." | Free | Dofollow | No | Sep 16, 2026 | Submit |
| Future Toolsfuturetools.ioMatt Wolfe's hand-curated AI tool library, free but selective. | Free | Dofollow | No | Sep 1, 2026 | Submit |
| Indie Hackersindiehackers.comFounder community with a products database and a daily Build Board. | Free | Dofollow | No | Sep 1, 2026 | Submit |
| Insidr AIinsidr.aiAI tools directory plus long-form reviews, aimed at business users. | Free | Dofollow | No | Sep 1, 2026 | Submit |
| MicroLaunchmicrolaunch.netMonthly leaderboard for indie startups with a paid skip-the-queue tier. | Free tier | Dofollow | No | Sep 1, 2026 | Submit |
| OpenHuntsopenhunts.comWeekly Monday launch board; free slots exist but the queue is very long. | Free tier | Dofollow | No | Sep 1, 2026 | Submit |
| Open Launchopen-launch.comDaily 08:00 UTC launch board; free slots are booked out a long way. | Free tier | Dofollow | No | Sep 1, 2026 | Submit |
| OpenToolsopentools.aiAI tool, model and MCP-server marketplace with a free submission path. | Free tier | Dofollow | No | Sep 1, 2026 | Submit |
| PeerPushpeerpush.comProduct directory built for AI-assistant discovery as well as human browsing. | Free tier | Dofollow | No | Sep 1, 2026 | Submit |
| PitchWallpitchwall.coDaily launch board for new AI products — the site Betapage became. | Free tier | Dofollow | No | Sep 1, 2026 | Submit |
| SaaS AI Toolssaasaitools.comDirectory of generative AI tools for SaaS builders. | Free tier | Dofollow | No | Sep 1, 2026 | Submit |
| SaaSHubsaashub.comIndependent software marketplace built around alternatives and comparisons. | Free tier | Dofollow | No | Sep 1, 2026 | Submit |
| ScrollLaunchscrolllaunch.comWeekly ISO-week leaderboard with permanent, AI-readable product pages. | Free tier | Dofollow | No | Sep 1, 2026 | Submit |
| Startup Famestartupfa.meLaunch board with a genuinely free tier and paid queue-skipping. | Free tier | Dofollow | No | Sep 1, 2026 | Submit |
| Startups.fyistartups.fyiCurated feed of profitable startups and online business ideas. | Free | Dofollow | No | Sep 1, 2026 | Submit |
| Startup Stashstartupstash.comLarge curated catalogue of tools and resources, organised by startup need. | Free | Dofollow | No | Sep 1, 2026 | Submit |
| TinyLaunchtinylaunch.comFree daily launch competition where only the top 3 earn a badge and link. | Free tier | Dofollow | No | Sep 1, 2026 | Submit |
| Toolfoliotoolfolio.comTool directory — note it moved from toolfolio.io to toolfolio.com. | Free tier | Dofollow | No | Sep 1, 2026 | Submit |
| ToolHunttoolhunt.netGeneral tool directory with an open submission form. | Free | Dofollow | No | Sep 1, 2026 | Submit |
| ToolPilottoolpilot.aiAI tool marketplace with a free listing tier and cheap upgrades. | Free tier | Dofollow | No | Sep 1, 2026 | Submit |
| Uneeduneed.bestDaily tool launchpad with a dofollow link, now paid-only. | Paid | Dofollow | No | Sep 1, 2026 | Submit |
| Vibe Coding Listvibecodinglist.comCurated list of AI coding tools and platforms. | Free | Dofollow | No | Sep 16, 2026 | Submit |
| Webframewebframe.xyzLibrary of web app screenshots and UI patterns. | Free tier | Dofollow | No | Sep 1, 2026 | Submit |
Frequently asked questions
Which directories give a dofollow link without requiring a backlink?
31 directories in our index: AICyclopedia, AIToolMall, AITopTools, AIxploria, Awesome Indie, BetaList, Brick Launch, Dang.ai and 23 more. Listed when the outbound link was verified dofollow and the directory does not ask for a reciprocal badge or backlink on your site in return.
Which of them are free to submit to?
11 of the 31 cost nothing for a basic listing: AICyclopedia, AIToolMall, Brick Launch, EasyDoFollow, Future Tools, Indie Hackers, Insidr AI, Startups.fyi and 3 more. 18 more have a free tier alongside paid upgrades; 2 are paid only.
What does a backlink badge requirement mean?
Some directories list you only if you place their badge — a link back to them — on your own site. It can be a fair trade, but it is a condition worth knowing before you submit. Every directory on this page asks for nothing of the kind.
How was the dofollow status checked?
We fetch a real listing page on the directory — a page for a product that is actually listed there — and read the rel attribute on the outbound link to that product. If it contains nofollow, sponsored or ugc, the link passes no authority; if not, it is dofollow. The most recent check on this list was on September 16, 2026. A directory we could not read is marked not verified rather than guessed.
Other shortlists: Free to submit · Verified dofollow. Or the full index, with how the dofollow check works and every directory we couldn’t verify.